Insta-cycle didn't work?

[Aqua315]

Hi everyone. 3 weeks ago I bought a filter cartridge for a 5g bowfront. I put it in with my established tank's filter for 2 weeks to seed it and then 1 week ago, I bought the 5g and transferred my betta over from his 1/2g into the 5g. I just did the first water test on the tank and am a little confused. I thought that using established filter media meant it wouldn't go through a cycle but here are my latest test readings:

Ammonia: 1.5ppm
Nitrites: 0ppm
Nitrates: 2.5ppm

My tap water doesn't have any ammonia or nitrates. I've never insta-cycled a tank before so is this normal? Will the ammonia reading eventually disappear? Any help is appreciated!

 

[jetajockey]

Hi everyone. 3 weeks ago I bought a filter cartridge for a 5g bowfront. I put it in with my established tank's filter for 2 weeks to seed it and then 1 week ago, I bought the 5g and transferred my betta over from his 1/2g into the 5g. I just did the first water test on the tank and am a little confused. I thought that using established filter media meant it wouldn't go through a cycle but here are my latest test readings:

Ammonia: 1.5ppm
Nitrites: 0ppm
Nitrates: 2.5ppm

My tap water doesn't have any ammonia or nitrates. I've never insta-cycled a tank before so is this normal? Will the ammonia reading eventually disappear? Any help is appreciated!

Time to start doing water changes. Using seeded media is not a guaranteed success, as this shows.

it will cycle eventually but until then you need to stay on top of water quality.